Universal rail for multi-furniture construction

ABSTRACT

A universal rail used for cabinet or furniture construction. The rail is rectangular and has a top, middle and bottom section. Each section has a flange that can be used for various functions. The rail can be positioned either vertically or horizontally depending on the furniture that is to be assembled.

BACKGROUND

The present invention is directed to a universal rail used for multi-furniture construction, more specifically cabinet and cabinet like furniture construction.

The art of making cabinets is an old one that need not be described in this application. Carpenters have devised many types of skeletons to build cabinets and usually devise skeletons that will fit certain spaces for specific jobs.

The inventor of the present invention realized that it was time consuming having to reinvent the wheel every time that he had to install a new cabinet at a new location. He conceived that if he could have a universal rail that could be of a standard shape that could easily be attached to precut pieces of cabinet structures that he would eliminate the need of having to design new skeleton structures for every new installation of the precut pieces.

The rail of the present invention is a rail that can be used to support the exterior portions of a cabinet while also supporting the inner structures of the cabinet, by doing this it is intended that the rail define ledges that can support counter tops, bottoms, and drawers, while simultaneously providing the skeleton guides required to align a cabinet in a desired shape.

For the foregoing reason there is a need for a universal rail for multi-furniture construction that will lend itself to act as a support structure, a cabinet skeleton, and a drawer guide that is designed to be easily installable, cheap to manufacture, and easily transportable.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to a universal rail for multi-furniture construction that will lend itself to act as a support structure, a cabinet skeleton, and a drawer guide that is designed to be easily installable, cheap to manufacture, and easily transportable.

The universal rail used for furniture construction. The rail is rectangular and has a top, middle and bottom section. Each section has a flange that can be used for various functions. The rail can be positioned either vertically or horizontally depending on the furniture that is to be assembled.

The rail is fabricated of an anodized metallic material that allows it to be used with many side paneling materials such as stainless steel, aluminum, wood, or melamine. The rails being anodized make them a green material, for they are reusable, they will not oxidize, they will have a long shelf life, they are easily washable, and are made of materials that are not allergenic.

The rail will be produced as a standardized piece that can be easily cut by a miter to fit prefabricated side paneling materials. In a preferred embodiment, the rail will attach to side paneling materials using pan head screws.

The rails being fabricated of a standard size will allow them to be stored in small places, this in turn will allow them to be easily transportable. In addition, the standardized measurements of the rails will minimize the cost to the ultimate purchaser of the rails, for the time it takes installing the rails shall be minimized because of their building block inherent nature. In the field, the inventor has determined that the time used to build cabinets has been minimized by at least sixty (60%) percent. The rails also have allowed him to deliver cabinets the same day as they are ordered, for he does not have to specifically manufacture a skeleton structure for each installation location. The standard rails can be cut at installation sites at the job sites using minimal effort.

The rails simplicity of construction and malleability allows it to be used as a support structure for the side paneling and also as a support structure for electrical fixtures; such as lights and other hardware devices.

The rails can be used to fabricate residential, institutional, and commercial furniture. Cabinets will now be able to be built entire structures rather than as individual modules, up to ninety-six by ninety-six inch structures.

An object of the present invention is to provide a rail that will reduce the time of installation by at least sixty percent.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a rail that is standardized and easily workable.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a rail that is green.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a rail that is easily storable and space efficient.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a rail that can be used to fabricate unitary furniture structures.

DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the present invention wherein various methods for the use of the rail are described;

FIG. 3 is a side view showing how the present invention would be used with doors;

FIG. 4 is a side view showing how the present invention would be used with doors without pulls;

FIG. 5 is a side view showing how a cabinet side would be attached to present invention;

FIG. 6 is a side view showing how a pair of the rails of the present invention would be used in conjunction to support a lower cabinet bottom when used with a door with a pull;

FIG. 7 is a side view showing how a pair of rails of the present invention would be used to support lighting and cabinet tops and bottoms;

FIG. 8 is a sequence of drawings showing how pairs of the present invention can be used to build sides of a furniture structure;

FIG. 9 is a side view showing how the present invention would be used to mount a lift door in conjunction with a furniture structure;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the present invention showing how a pair of rails of the present invention would be used to accommodate lift doors in furniture;

FIG. 11 is a side view showing a pair of figures showing how pairs of the present invention would be used to support drawers and side extensions;

FIG. 12 is a side view showing a piece of furniture using the rails of the present invention, the piece is a six drawer piece of furniture;

FIG. 13 is a side view of the present invention showing a toe kick;

FIG. 14 shows a side view of the present invention showing how side doors would be used with the present invention;

FIG. 15 shows a side view of how the present invention may be used to build a piece of furniture;

FIG. 16 shows another side view of how the present invention may be used to build a piece of furniture;

FIG. 17 shows three side views of how the present invention may be used to build pieces of furniture; and

FIG. 18 shows a side view of how sliding door cabinets would be mounted on the present invention.

DESCRIPTION

As seen in FIG. 1, a universal rail 1000 for furniture construction of the present invention comprises of a rectangular body 100 having a top 100 a, bottom 100 c, middle 100 b, left 100 e, and right 100 d side.

The top of the rectangular body 100 a defines a first flange 10 that runs along the length of the rectangular body 100, the first flange 10 has a top 100 a and a bottom 10 b, the top of the first flange 10 a extends perpendicularly outward from the right side of the rectangular body 100 d, then the first flange 10 extends perpendicularly upward toward the top of the rectangular body 100 a to form a first u-shaped first flange cavity 10 c, then the top of the first flange 10 a extends perpendicularly outward forming a second u-shaped cavity 10 d, the second u-shaped cavity 10 d defines a higher depth than the first u-shaped flange 10 c cavity and further defines a right ledge 10 e that extends perpendicularly outward from the second u-shaped flange cavity 10 d, the bottom of the first flange 10 then defines an L-shaped support 10 f that extends downward from the right ledge 10 e, then the bottom of the first flange 100 b extends perpendicularly inward toward the top of the rectangular body 100 a, the bottom side of the first flange defines a first round channel 10 g that is positioned below the first u-shaped first flange cavity 10 c, the first flange 10 being a certain distance from the top of the rectangular body 100 a, the distance being at least a quarter of an inch from the top of the rectangular body 100 a;

The middle of the rectangular body 100 b defines a first middle L-shaped flange 20 that extends perpendicularly from the right side of the rectangular body 100 d and that runs along the length of the rectangular body 100, thereby forming a first middle U-shaped cavity 20 a that is directed toward the top side of the rectangular body 100 a. The middle of the rectangular body 100 b further defines a second middle L-shaped flange 22 that extends perpendicularly from the right side of the rectangular body 100 d and that runs along the length of the rectangular body 100, thereby forming a second middle U-shaped cavity 22 a that is directed toward the bottom side of the rectangular body 100 c.

The bottom of the rectangular body 100 c defines a right bottom flange 30 that extends perpendicularly from the right side of the rectangular body 100 d and that runs along the length of the rectangular body 100, the right bottom flange 30 has a top 30 a and a bottom 30 b side, the top side 30 a is substantially flat and the bottom side 30 b defines a second round channel 32. The bottom of the rectangular body 100 c further defines a left bottom flange 440 that extends perpendicularly from the left side of the rectangular body 100 e and that runs along the length of the rectangular body 100, the left 40 and right 30 bottom flanges are on the same plane and are positioned a certain distance from the bottom of the rectangular body 100 c, the distance being at least a quarter of an inch from the bottom of the rectangular body 100 c.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the left side of the rectangular body defines at least one hinge 50.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the invention is made of an anodized metal.

An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a rail that reduces the time of installation by at least sixty percent.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a rail that is standardized and easily workable.

A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides a rail that is green.

Still a further advantage of the present invention is that it provides a rail that is easily storable and space efficient.

Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a rail that can be used to fabricate unitary furniture structures. 

1. A universal rail for furniture construction, comprising: A rectangular body having a top, bottom, middle, left, and right side, wherein the rectangular body is defined as follows: the top of the rectangular body defines a first flange that runs along the length of the rectangular body, the first flange has a top and a bottom, the top of the first flange extends perpendicularly outward from the right side of the rectangular body, then the first flange extends perpendicularly upward toward the top of the rectangular body to form a first u-shaped first flange cavity, then the top of the first flange extends perpendicularly outward forming a second u-shaped cavity, the second u-shaped cavity defines a higher depth than the first u-shaped flange cavity and further defines a right ledge that extends perpendicularly outward from the second u-shaped flange cavity, the bottom of the first flange then defines an L-shaped support that extends downward from the right ledge, then the bottom of the first flange extends perpendicularly inward toward the top of the rectangular body, the bottom side of the first flange defines a first round channel that is positioned below the first u-shaped first flange cavity, the first flange being a certain distance from the top of the rectangular body, the distance being at least a quarter of an inch from the top of the rectangular body; the middle of the rectangular body further defines: a first middle L-shaped flange that extends perpendicularly from the right side of the rectangular body and that runs along the length of the rectangular body, thereby forming a first middle U-shaped cavity that is directed toward the top side of the rectangular body; and a second middle L-shaped flange that extends perpendicularly from the right side of the rectangular body and that runs along the length of the rectangular body, thereby forming a second middle U-shaped cavity that is directed toward the bottom side of the rectangular body; and the bottom of the rectangular body further defines: a right bottom flange that extends perpendicularly from the right side of the rectangular body and that runs along the length of the rectangular body, the right bottom flange has a top and a bottom side, the top side is substantially flat and the bottom side defines a second round channel; and a left bottom flange that extends perpendicularly from the left side of the rectangular body and that runs along the length of the rectangular body, the left and right bottom flanges are on the same plane and are positioned a certain distance from the bottom of the rectangular body, the distance being at least a quarter of an inch from the bottom of the rectangular body.
 2. The universal rail of claim 1, wherein the left side of the rectangular body defines at least one hinge. 